STRAWFLOWER Wins The 2025 AACTA Pitch: Focus Initiative

STRAWFLOWER WINS THE 2025 AACTA PITCH: FOCUS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SONY, SHORT FILM INITIATIVE

Following a highly competitive final round of judging of this year's exceptional finalists, The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) in partnership with Sony have announced Strawflower as the recipient of production funds and ongoing support via the 2025 AACTA Pitch: Focus student short film development initiative.

From an inspiring field of submissions from students nationwide, Strawflower, a poetic and visually rich meditation on the quiet decay of a relationship, stood out as a beautifully human piece that resonated strongly with the panel. An elegantly crafted proof of concept from director Lucia Cozzi clinched it.

Now in its fifth year, AACTA Pitch: Focus continues to empower Australian student filmmakers to transform their ideas into fully realised short films, supported by expert mentorship, industry connections, and invaluable production experience.

The Strawflower team, Lucia Cozzi, Shaela Gosper, Guy Burlinson, Ella Stone Richards, Imogen Tyler, Maddie Howse and Noah Bloom, are students and recent graduates from a range of leading tertiary institutions, including Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, the University of Technology Sydney and JMC Academy Sydney.

Their collaboration perfectly embodies the spirit of AACTA Pitch: Focus, which encourages creativity, connection, and growth among the next generation of emerging Australian screen talent.

Lucia Cozzi from the Strawflower team said "On behalf of the Strawflower team, we’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity and the funding that has allowed us to collaborate with inspiring industry professionals, whilst providing us with the freedom to further discover our creative vision."

AACTA Awards and Industry Development Manager, Ivan Vukusic, said: .”Congratulations to Lucia, Shaela, Guy and the entire Strawflower team. It’s a beautiful and contemplative film that we look forward to helping bring to life. We have some exciting months ahead! Many thanks as always to our kind partners at SONY for making this all possible”.

The team will now be awarded a $15,000 production fund and a $20,000 Sony camera equipment loan package, to bring their vision to life.

Sony Australia Community and Corporate Partnerships Manager, Nick Rowe said: Congratulations to the Strawflower teamon winning this year's AACTA: Pitch Focus. The creative team led by Shaela, Lucia and Guy have a clear vision for this film and through their proof of concept showed a visually strong glimpse of the story they are looking to tell. Sony is excited to help bring this new story to life with the latest in cinema camera technology and look forward to working together with the creative team on this project.” 

Katie Amos, AACTA Pitch Focus Judge and Head of Australian Production at Made Up Stories said: “This year’s AACTA pitch finalists were truly impressive and captivated us with their originality, creativity and ambitious storytelling. The decision was an incredibly difficult one for the judges but we’re absolutely thrilled for the very talented team behind Strawflower whose evocative pitch and proof of concept demonstrated a singular vision for their film. We cannot wait to see what the Strawflower team achieve as the 2025 recipient!” 

Strawflower is a poetic and visually rich short film that meditates on the quiet decay of a once-flourishing relationship. Set in a sun-drenched vegetable garden within the Australian landscape, it follows two young people—Thea and Felix—as they navigate the emotional complexity of parting ways. While love lingers between them, it may no longer be enough to hold them together. The story aims to depict a relationship that is neither toxic nor ideal—just profoundly human.

For more information about the initiative see here.